Lynn Compton chooses ideology over solutions

SLO County Supervisor candidate Jimmy Paulding Mason Schroder

SLO County Supervisor candidate Jimmy Paulding Mason Schroder

On Dec. 12, the Board of Supervisors voted to reject revisions to the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance, which will have dire consequences for the county. Under new state law, if we fail to meet our housing requirements, the state will allow developers to build without local approvals. The board’s vote threatens to eliminate county oversight of housing construction. Large and small homes could be built anywhere, rather than where the community decides housing should go.

The ordinance that Supervisor Lynn Compton rejected would have eliminated affordable housing fees for new homes under 1,600 square feet and reduced fees for new homes under 2,200 square feet, making it easier for home builders to build and families to buy. Current fees are required on homes as small as 900 square feet so that it’s next-to-impossible to build those homes. The current ordinance also provides for no fee on single-lot, custom homes so that multi-millionaires pay no fees, which makes no sense.

Ms. Compton claims to support affordable housing, but time after time, fails to live up to her word. Her vote was another unfortunate example of rejecting a real solution for ideology.